Hello Hello Hello!!!
Woweeeee!!! What a week! I hope you all had a wonderful pre-Thanksgiving week and got your bellies nice and ready for next week ;) Get ready for news and more news :)
First off- WJM was baptized and confirmed!!!!! :D Everything went so so well.............there was a wedding saturday night so her baptism was in the morning. It was raining, which it hasn't done in awhile, so we were worried about the turn out but there was still a great amount of people (who all really love WJM) there - WJM said that the rain was cleaning the earth just like her baptism was doing for her :) The speakers were great, it was a very love-filled atmosphere. The most powerful moment of all was when WJM bore her testimony after she was baptized. She had it all written out and talked about the three different changes she has experienced. The first being her ability to rely upon the Lord and her Heavenly Father. She has a burning testimony that They live and knows she can turn to them for anything. Another change is her smoking change. She had smoked for 20 years, since she was 11, and she testified that through God's power she was able to overcome. When she started to stop smoking a few weeks ago, the cigarettes suddenly had no taste or flavor and she had no desire to keep smoking. Her final change was her overall life change from where she began to where she is now. She has such a strong testimony of the Atonement, especially for a new member. She has repented harder and more earnestly then I have ever seen anyone do before, and because of that, she has felt the immense love and forgiveness of her Heavenly Father. She truly understands that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the only way to return to our heavenly abode. She testified that she knows this is the only true church upon the earth and that we have a living Heavenly Father and Savior who love us. She talked about how she doesn't want to focus on where she will go after this life, but focus on this life right now and do all she can to be worthy and a righteous follower of Christ. Many people said that this was the most powerful and thorough testimony they have ever heard a new member bear at their baptism. She truly is a prepared soul as she has given everything to covenant with her Heavenly Father and receive the saving ordinances of the gospel. She definitely still has things she is working on, but she has such a strong, trusting foundation built upon her Savior.....and that is most important :) She also has such great relations with the ward, especially the Relief Society sisters and they just love her :) I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to have this experience of seeing the saving and changing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I truly know that this gospel can change anyone and the Atonement literally covers ALL sin, pains, and burdens. I am so proud of and happy for Wang JM - she truly has become a new creature through Christ and has an incredible life ahead of her :D
ZJM is doing great and is now saying that she believes she will get baptized :D yay!
Crazy thing 2.......Once upon a time I was parking my bicycle next to a motorcycle, and as I got off my bike, I let out a YELP as I burned my leg on the hot engine of the motorcycle. Motorcyle engines usually have a cover, but geng hao, this one didn't :P It was just a little burn so I wasn't worried, but then the pain came - just a little stinging........Sister Gibson was all worried about it so she called Sister Bishop who told us to go to the hospital and get it checked. So we got to experience a Taiwan hospital again! This time it was a lot better though ;D Taiwan hospitals are actually super cool, everyone is in cute matching clothes :).........anyways the nice doctor gave me 3 different cream medicines to put on it and Sister Gibson played doctor for me. The miracle thing is that it never has hurt again after I left the hospital so I just need to take care of it and all is well!
Crazy thing 3.......well there are these things called mini move calls which means that there is a move call/transfer in the middle of a normal move call. This is in case someone is going home early or they just need to change a few people. We went out to eat with WJM after her xili hui and while we were eating, President Bishop called us and told us that Sister Gibson would be moving on Monday to Gaoxiong!! What!!! I may or may not have burst into tears haha.......out of not knowing what to think! I couldn't believe it! We had just been saying how we had been there for WJM's xili hui..........so after we let it settle in a little we realized it was going to be ok. It was definitely super hard to accept the fact, but then it just seemed right. Sister Gibson only has 1 month left in her mission and moved (which is super crazy!) so there must be someone in Gaoxiong who needs her :) My new companion is Sister Liang! She is a beautiful Taiwanese sister and is Sister Walbrecht's old companion. She seems really great :) My Chinese skills will hopefully improve with my first native companion! It's still a lot of change for me, but I know this is what Heavenly Father wants and I will completely rely upon my Savior as Sister Liang and I begin in this amazing work together :) It was hard to let Sister Gibson go- she is an incredible missionary, but I am so grateful we could see WJM get baptized together :)
So that's about all of the exciting news for this week! In honor of Thanksgiving, I'm so grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission in Taiwan. I'm so grateful for the miracles we see every day and how much Heavenly Father loves all of His children. I'm grateful for the eternal plan of our Heavenly Father which allows us to have the help of the Atonement every day and prepares us for greater eternal joy than we can comphrehend. I'm grateful for an amazing family and friends who have supported me my entire life and have been such strong examples to me. I'm grateful for the scriptures and living prophets. I'm grateful for happiness and laughter and music that brings the Spirit :) I'm grateful to know I have a Savior and loving Heavenly Father who are always near. I love this work and I love all of you!!
Love,
Sister J :)
Sis. Jarvis, Sis. Gibson and the Tainan Relief Society
WJM's Baptism
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